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December is one long exercise in overdoing it: too many tipples, not enough water and late nights gorging on Quality Streets. It’s unsurprising a lot of us will notice changes to our complexion, be that tightness, dullness, flakiness or simply an alarmingly frazzled face staring back when we look in the mirror. Hungover skin is real, and no amount of desperately downing water is going to resolve the issue.
The good news is you don’t need a £90 serum to look human again. The right products can do a lot of heavy lifting, especially when they focus on hydration, soothing and barrier repair. Think face mists that revive on contact, masks that undo the damage overnight, and creams that lock moisture back in where it belongs.
These are the ten buys I’m restocking to help soothe and repair my hungover skin this festive season. They’re hardworking, effective and, crucially at such an expensive time of year, all under £15 – because your skin might be suffering, but your bank account doesn’t need to as well.
The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Serum is like a glass of water for your face. It uses multi-molecular hyaluronic acid to pull moisture back into dehydrated skin, helping it look plumper, smoother and less crumpled after a late night. Added glycerin boosts hydration even further, softening dryness and that tight, tired feeling so your skin looks fresher and more awake – even if you’re not.
This oat gel moisturiser feels super light and sinks in fast but still gives your skin a big hit of hydration – exactly what you want after booze and bad sleep suck moisture out of your face. It’s packed with prebiotic oat to help soothe irritation and strengthen your skin’s moisture barrier, and calming feverfew to help redness or tightness, so your complexion looks way less tired. It’s fragrance-free and gentle on sensitive skin, so perfect for those prone to breakouts. Our top tip? Stick it in the fridge 10 minutes before applying. Bliss.
If your eyes are giving ‘one too many spicy margs’, these patches are a fast fix. The cooling gel formula floods the under-eye area with hydration using hyaluronic acid and sodium PCA, helping to abate dryness and soften fine lines caused by dehydration. Added collagen and trehalose help the skin look firmer and more cushioned, while the chilled feel helps calm puffiness, so the dreaded eye bags are less obvious.
This feather-light moisture milk is all about giving your skin a hit of hydration without feeling heavy, exactly what you need when alcohol and poor sleep have left your face looking dull and thirsty. It uses hyaluronic acid to attract water into the skin and squalane to help lock it in, so your complexion feels softer and looks more dewy and refreshed rather than dull and parched.
This is the perfect product to stick in your bag after a big night out, and spritz on as and when you need a wake-up. Hyaluronic acid helps skin hold onto moisture, while peach extract and coconut water give a soft, fresh finish that makes your face look dewier, healthier and more glowing than ‘urgh, I’m drained’. Put in the fridge before applying for an extra cooling and soothing pick-me-up.
This two-step rubber mask feels more like a full-on facial than a sheet mask. First you smooth on a concentrated hyaluronic acid serum to flood skin with moisture, then you press on the cooling rubber layer which locks that hydration in and helps your skin absorb it properly. That cooling effect also instantly wakes up dull, puffy, winter-dry skin, resulting in skin that feels way softer and plumper after a night of drinking.
Everybody knows the pain of waking up the morning after with cracked, dry lips that look disgusting and feel like crispy bacon. This intensive lip balm is designed for exactly that kind of damage, using glycerin to pull moisture back in and panthenol to help soothe and repair sore, flaky skin. It calms irritation, softens cracks and gets lips looking human again fast, without any stinging.
This is a proper rescue mask for skin that’s feeling dry, tight and a bit wrecked after a late night. It’s packed with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to drench dehydrated skin, while barrier-supporting actives help lock moisture back in. Leave it on and it does the hard work overnight, so you wake up looking calmer, plumper and far less worse for wear.
This cute-looking little hydration stick is like a coffee shot for your skin after a late night. The formula is built on glacial water to quickly replenish lost moisture and leave skin looking plumper and brighter on the go – perfect for mornings when you need a bit of freshness without a full routine. Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate help attract and hold water in, so your complexion doesn’t just feel temporarily cool but actually looks less thirsty.
This is the perfect all-over rescue cream when your skin feels dry and lacklustre after a night of booze and no water. It’s made with a blend of lanolin (a super-rich natural moisturiser) that mimics your own skin oils to help lock hydration in, Vitamin E to nourish and protect against irritation, and skin-conditioners like milk and nut oils that leave skin feeling soft rather than tight. Use it on your face, hands or any rough patches that look dull and thirsty for a noticeable injection of hydration.
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